Steven Wright still pitches for rotation spot

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MAKING HIS PITCH: Steven Wright will get the start for the Red Sox tonight against the Mariners in Seattle, but the knuckleballer’s status in the rotation will be up in the air once Drew Pomeranz is ready to return.

SEATTLE — Steven Wright’s knuckleball can help answer an important question tonight.

Starter or reliever?

Wright’s happy to do either, but he feels that he pitches differently as a starter, sensing the need to change speeds with his knuckleball more often to keep the hitters guessing as he sees them a second and third time through the order.

He’s been successful in both roles.

So, too, has Drew Pomeranz.

Tonight, Wright is making his third start since being added to the rotation just before Pomeranz began suffering from biceps tendinitis and was put on the shelf.

In Wright’s first two starts, he’s yet to allow a run over 13 2⁄3 innings. A third quality start from him ought to make it impossible for manager Alex Cora to remove him from the rotation when Pomeranz is ready to return.

Pomeranz, on the 10-day disabled list, played catch last night before the Sox’ game against the Mariners.

“Said he felt good,” Cora said. “I’m not sure what’s the next step. But for at least for him to go out there and throw and feel that way, that’s a positive.”

What do the Red Sox do with Pomeranz when he returns?

“We’ll see,” Cora said. “First things first, he has to be healthy. That’s the most important thing.”

Which pitcher makes the Sox better out of the rotation right now? It’s hard to argue against Wright, given the way he’s been rolling. He’s consistently eating up innings, a more valuable asset as a starter. And though Cora has flirted with the idea of using Wright out of relief in late-game situations, would he really turn to his knuckleballer with men on base in a close game?

Using Pomeranz out of relief makes more sense. He would give the Sox a second lefty to go with Brian Johnson. And he proved to be quite effective in the role during his two years in Oakland in 2014-15. In his career, Pomeranz has a 2.10 ERA as a reliever vs. a 4.02 mark as a starter.

He’s a free agent after this season, so a relief role could potentially hurt his standing in free agency. But an interested team could just as well pay him as a starter.

Then again, a league-average starter and an above-average reliever make similar salaries these days.

Not that any of that should be of interest to his current team.

Right now the Sox are dealing with a red-hot knuckleballer who has shown to be dominant when healthy and pitching with as much effectiveness as he did during his All-Star season in 2016.

“We saw what he did a few years ago before the injury,” Cora said. “He was an All-Star then. When healthy, he can repeat his delivery and we know what he can do with his pitch. I am very pleased the way he’s holding runners, the way he fields his position. The way he’s moving around. That was the only question mark. And he’s doing an outstanding job.”

Wright said his signature pitch is just as effective now as two years ago, despite going through shoulder and knee injuries.

“I feel like I’m still working on some mechanical stuff to be more consistent, but I think that’s everybody,” Wright said. “Nobody is going to be perfect. I feel really confident in my knee and in my shoulder. I’ve been feeling good going out there so it allows me to work more on the quality knuckleballs because I’m not thinking about my knee or my shoulder, I’m just thinking about making good pitches.”

A third good start from Wright tonight and the Red Sox shouldn’t have a very difficult decision to make when Pomeranz is ready to return.